T.K. Maxx

Yes, for those of you, this is really TJ Maxx, but here in Germany it would just sound odd. There is a new one in Regensburg, and it is AWESOME! The kids toys are actually all in English, or English and French...pretty cool. And the housewares area...that's dangerous. I love it! But, I did have an interaction with one of the check-out ladies that was quite funny...

So, my friend Janda and I went to go and check out. I get in the line where all the little things to buy are...you know, little candles, candy, little toys for the kids...you know what I'm talking about. I tried to find a picture of it online, but for some reason couldn't....weird. Maybe I'll try to take a picture of it next time I'm there...since there WILL be a next time!

Ok, so, I get in the line next to where all that suff is (and the first register and the end of the line is #1). The little light comes on that I should go to register #2, so I head on over. The lady gives me a look like she is wondering what the hell I'm doing and says, "Die andere Dame war zuerst." (The other lady was here first.) I was like, "Nein, sie war nicht in der schlange." (No, she wasn't in the line.) She said that I was in the wrong line and that I needed to go to this other area (one that didn't go by the little things to impulse buy and one that was scrunched up against a rack of clothing). Then came the best line ever. She tried to explain to me why this is. She told me that the store is set up "nach Amerikanische Weise" (in the American style). What?!?!?! Are you kidding me? Did she really just say this? So, my response was..."Huh...Ich bin Amerikanerin und ich habe sowas nie gesehen...und ich habe schon viel beim TJ Maxx in den USA gekauft!" (Huh. I'm an American and I haven't seen a set-up like this before and I have shopped a lot at TJ Maxxs in the US.)

So, I went and got in the "real" line. When it was my turn, I went up to the counter and tried to explain to the lady why it was all wrong. She told me that there were Americans there that set up the place...my guess...something got lost in translation. I think I'll speak to the manager next time I'm there so that he knows that those little things are there for impulse buying, not for the people who want to return things (which was that first line) to look at. I need to show them how it's done...

However, I do think I need to take this as a compliment as well...the lady thought I was German...I think my German is getting better...at least my accent :)